Handhala and the Messiah: christological representation in the cartoons of Naji Al-Ali

ABSTRACT The cartoons Naji Al-Ali reveal the complexities of Palestinian identity in the period between the resignation following Palestinian defeats in 1948 and 1967 and the first Intifada in 1987. The present paper to add to the limited literature on Al-Ali’s cartoons through examining a unique subset of them that join Christ with the artist’s child-caricature Handhala. The image of Christ allowed Al-Ali to universalise his message, mapping the Palestinian experience onto a recognisable figure while strengthening an inchoate moral critique against Israeli occupation. Examining these illustrations provides us with a better understanding of this transitory period in Palestinian history.